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Novak Djokovic began his campaign for a fourth successive grand slam title with a 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 6-1 victory over Italy's Potito Starace at the French Open this afternoon.
The world number one already holds the Wimbledon, US Open and Australian Open trophies and is looking to add the one title he has never won.
For a set and a half today Djokovic looked far from a potential champion, the Serb cutting a frustrated figure as world number 97 Starace kept pace with him.
Djokovic could not take two set points in the 12th game of the opener but he won the tie-break easily enough and finally broke through in the fifth game of the second set.
From there he looked more like the player who has dominated the sport for 18 months, moving well and allowing a weary-looking Starace only two more games.
In the second round Djokovic will play Slovenia's Blaz Kavcic, who put out former world number one Lleyton Hewitt today.
PA
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